SANTA ROSA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Electric vehicle pioneer ZAP (OTCBB: ZAAP) completed its initial down payment of US$10 million towards the 51% acquisition of Jonway Automobile. Jonway Automobile plans to complete an audit of its financial statements by December 31, 2010 and thereafter, ZAP intends to finalize the acquisition with the payment of the US$19 million balance of the US$29 million purchase price.
Jonway Automobile reported sales of over 4,000 gasoline vehicles through the end of September 2010, and projects total sales of over 6,500 vehicles by December 31, 2010. Jonway Automobile reported that wholesale sales prices of the vehicles averaged US$10,000. Jonway Automobile projects year-end revenues for 2010 to increase more than 40% compared to last year with its current gasoline vehicle product line. Jonway Automobile reports that it is debt-free, cash flow positive and able to finance its gasoline product revenue growth at the same rate for 2011.
Under the new equity structure, Jonway Automobile will be 51% owned by ZAP, and 49% by its original parent Jonway Group. This equity ownership transfer was approved by the Chinese government on October 3, 2010. Jonway Automobile plans to ramp up production of the A380 SUV electric vehicle (EV) in the first half of 2011 together with ZAP's Alias EV by third quarter 2011 at their Sanmen, Zhejiang factory. By combining Jonway Auto's ISO 9000 manufacturing facilities, capable of delivering over 50,000 vehicles per year, with ZAP's EV technologies, products and expertise, the company aims to lead the emerging EV fleet market in China.
Alex Wang (Wang Gang) was recently appointed by ZAP's board to be Co-CEO of ZAP. ZAP (Jonway) will expand the market to sell both gasoline and EVs from China to rest of the world.
ZAP (Jonway) recently showcased its EV product line at the 25th Electric Vehicle Symposium in Shenzhen to launch its EV sales in China targeting volume production delivery by the first half of 2011.
Focused on delivering quality products, Jonway started to sell its A380 SUV product line last year, offering quality and value incorporating a Mitsubishi power train. ZAP (Jonway) plan to enhance manufacturing facilities to produce electric vehicles in Jonway's 3.6 million square feet of factory facilities on the 141 acres of land in Sanmen, Zhejiang Province, China.
About ZAP
ZAP is one of the oldest EV companies with extensive industry experience in EV product design and conversions. ZAP supplies electric trucks and vans to the military, government and corporate fleets and is one of the early pioneers of electric motorcycles, scooters and ATVs. The Santa Rosa, California based company offers a product line of all electric trucks, vans, sedans and motorcycles in production today. ZAP news and information is available at http://zapglobal.wordpress.com.
About Jonway Automobile
Zhejiang Jonway Automobile Co. Ltd. (Jonway Automobile), headquartered in Sanmen, Zhejiang Province, manufactures, markets and sells SUVs in China with over 90 direct dealers all over China. Their SUV has been type approved for sale in Europe. Jonway Group holds the automobile license and granted irrevocable right for SUV manufacturing to Jonway Automobile. Jonway's factory, with production capacity of 50,000 vehicles per year, opened in 2009 and is ISO9000 certified with factory space of over 3.6 million square feet on 141 acres of land in Sanmen, Zhejiang Province, China.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, continued acceptance of ZAP's products, increased levels of competition, new products and technological changes, ZAP's dependence upon third-party suppliers, intellectual property rights and other risks detailed from time to time in the ZAP's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contacts
ZAP (Jonway) USA
Alex Campbell, +1-707-525-8658 ext. 241
acampbell@zapworld.com
or
ZAP (Jonway) China
Jessica Gao, +86 13511038395
juan.gao@zapworld.com